INEC Chairman Warns Officials Against Compromise Ahead of FCT Elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has charged electoral officials deployed for the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory Area Council election not to disappoint the nation.

Amupitan issued the warning on Saturday during a “train-the-trainers” session for supervisory presiding officers as part of a mock accreditation and voting exercise across the FCT. The election is scheduled for February 21, 2026.

He described the SPOs as crucial field actors in the electoral process and urged them to uphold integrity. “You are the people on the ground. Whatever happens in the field reflects on the commission. Please, let us not disappoint the nation,” Amupitan stated.

The INEC boss appealed to the officers to view their role as national service, despite modest remuneration, and emphasized the commission’s commitment to restoring public confidence through rigorous training and testing.

He urged them to study the commission’s manual thoroughly, avoid compromise, and ensure a stable electoral process. “Nigeria is in dire need of a very stable electoral process,” he added.

During a field assessment of the mock exercise, Amupitan expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System. He noted that the BVAS successfully prevented double accreditation and multiple voting during the simulation.

“So far, I am very satisfied that the BVAS has worked excellently… With this technology, there is no way you can be accredited twice,” he said.

Amupitan assured that INEC is prepared for the polls, with non-sensitive materials deployed and training ongoing. He also addressed concerns about network issues in remote areas, stating that backup measures such as hotspots and delayed upload protocols are in place.

On the electronic transmission of results, he noted that the matter is before the National Assembly and urged against creating undue tension.

The INEC chairman, alongside national commissioners, the FCT REC, and journalists, inspected polling units in areas including Garki, Wuse, Ushafa, and Dutse during the mock exercise.